***********************************************
The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, today (January 29) met and congratulated a team of six students on achieving the best ever results for Hong Kong in the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO). This was the 10th edition of the IJSO.
The team won the Best Practical Team Award (1st Place) and grabbed a total of five gold medals and four silver medals in the IJSO in India last month (December).
During a gathering hosted by Mr Ng this afternoon, he praised the students for their dedication to their interest in science and endurance in stretching their potential through various training and activities.
The Hong Kong team members were the best performers at the "International Junior Science Olympiad - Hong Kong Screening 2012", which was co-organised by the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Association for Science and Mathematics Education and the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education. The Chinese University of Hong Kong also participated as their trainer.
"Hong Kong students' performances have been on the rise following the progressive implementation of the Education Reform in 2000," Mr Ng said.
"In the latest round of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results announced last month, Hong Kong students' literacy in mathematics, science and reading ranked third, second and second respectively. It is a step forward when compared with the respective rankings of third, third and fourth in the previous study.
"The international study also found that Hong Kong students' socio-economic status seemed to have less effect on their performance, and students from various socio-economic backgrounds performed equally well.
"The outstanding achievements of gifted students in the IJSO again reflect that Hong Kong has built on the strength of equal education opportunities for all students and managed to provide gifted students with the necessary support and opportunities to excel locally and at the international level," he added.
Mr Ng encouraged the student awardees to continue to work hard and pursue further development and leadership in science or its application, as well as to develop positive attitudes and values for whole-person development, and make a contribution to the continuous well-being of mankind and prosperity of Hong Kong as an international city.
He also took the opportunity to thank all parties involved in providing training for the competition in previous years.
The six student awardees are as follows:
Name of Students (Medals) School
------------------------- ------
Wong Yuk Diocesan Boys' School
(two Gold)
Wu Wan-wei St Paul's
(one Gold and one Silver) Co-educational College
Lai San-yu Wa Ying College
(one Gold and one Silver)
Wong Chun-hei La Salle College
(one Gold)
Chau Ho-yin Diocesan Boys' School
(one Silver)
Lau Chin-wa Tin Ka Ping Secondary
(one Silver) School
Ends/Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:01
NNNN
